Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar, okay? Get it? Got it? Good.
Story: Post-war world is getting back on its feet. Azula is insane, Toph finally finds love with the unlikeliest of people, Mai is trying to open up at the same time as support Zuko, Katara is confusing, and Aang has unresolved feelings for not only Katara but about Ozai. Ozai is condemned and living a hellish life without firebending, mind dwelling on the past, Ursa, what could have been, relationships, and the future. Aang and he now have an unrepentant and irrefutable connection that causes much confusion and pain. Suki and Sokka seemed to be the only ones with a happily ever after.
Set after Sozin's Comet.
Spoilers: For all seasons, mostly Book Three.
Warnings: Slash, language, effed up and/or reverse psychology...
Pairings: Ozai/Aang (yes, you read that right), tossup between Maiko and Zutara, unresolved and striving to be solved Kataang, Sukka, Toph/Haru, and very strongly implied past Ozai/Ursa.
A/n: The story's mainly going to revolve around Ozai and Aang, and eventually a future relationship between the two. Which, by the way, give it a chance.

Toph and Haru is a product of my derange mind, but I kinda like the idea. It'll probably become a pairing I'm fond of simply because I invented it (I haven't seen any…). I'll still like Ozai/Aang the best, though I thought of Earth King Kuei/Aang first.

I'm very much endeared towards Sukka, and strangely enough Maiko. I wasn't very into the latter pairing at first, when it was first introduced, but I've grown to like the two together. I'm even leaning more towards it than Zutara, which is a pairing growing really old for me. It's like it's everywhere on the site, which equals no variety and I grow bored. I like it for one second before realizing it was everywhere and saying forget it.

Depending on my mood, I can either like Katara or really dislike her. It's probably more like I hate fanon!Katara, but like canon!Katara –though canon!Katara annoys me sometimes. People have made her into a Mary Sue, which pisses me off.

I am very curious about Ursa and her relationship with Ozai, and I hate how people instantly portray a character as completely good or evil, a complete bad guy or complete good guy. There has to be more to their relationship than what people usually make out. Usually, Ozai is a horrible, evil husband, but it gives no substance and makes their relationship static. There just has to be something else.

Tainted Cherry Blossoms
Chapter One: Postbellum

What happened in those few minutes between the fallen Phoenix King and the Avatar, between the end of Ozai's firebending to the time those children arrived? Those precious few minutes where it was only Ozai, Aang, and the lingering echo of defeat, hollow victory, loss, resignation.

A vast nothingness.

Ozai lay on the ground, bereft of dignity and power. Aang stood a pace away, shoulders hunched over, and an aura of defeat surrounding him. Anyone would've thought the Avatar had lost, just looking at him.

"Blasted child, help me to that rock. I don't need to lie down here like a dog," Ozai still sneered from his fallen position. He knew the Avatar would help. He was like his people –weak and too kind, too caring.

He grunted slightly as Aang struggled to carry his weight over to the rock, where Ozai leaned against it and closed his eyes. He did not want to see the celebrations of his defeat, see the gloating of his opponents…

And then the rest of those children came, mocking and jeering at him, and suddenly the Avatar transformed from his gloomy state into a false cheer only Ozai knew was superficial. Even had he not witness the Avatar's true emotions before they had come, emotions that changed only when the Avatar was in their presence, after the spiritual connection they had shared moments ago Ozai knew the Avatar better than anyone else. Even they

They may jeer at him, but he laughed to himself at the irony that he, the enemy, knew their precious Avatar more completely than they could ever understand or know. And there was the knowledge that the Avatar, when time allowed for the child to truly realize the fact, knew Ozai just the same.

Just because he lay there fallen at their feet, meant nothing except he was fallen Lucifer who had failed in his coup to take his kingdom away from God.

The dying embers in Ozai's eyes continued to simmer below the surface, refusing to go out completely. He was defeated, but refused to give them the satisfaction of dousing his flames completely. He refused to let them take his spirit.

They won, but he will not let them humiliate him.


"Zuko," Aang called softly.

The new Firelord turned back to look at him, "What's wrong, Aang?"

"Where were you just now?"

Zuko looked uncomfortable, "I was…visiting my father."

"What'd he say?"

Zuko laughed quietly, "You always did have the unreasonable sense of not judging anyone. Anyone else would've accused me of conspiring with my father."

Aang shrugged, but did not respond.

"I asked where my mother was. He wouldn't say."

"Perhaps, in time he will," Aang said wisely.

"You've changed, Aang…You seem older, more mature. Less of a child than you were before."

Aang smiled softly at him, clasping Zuko's shoulder as he passed, and he said nothing more as he walked away. The truth was, he was changed. Fully mastering the Avatar state and all four elements changed him, as he knew it changed all Avatars before him. Completely bonding with the elements and his Avatar side caused him to fully mature as an Avatar and truly earn the title of Avatar Aang.

Because just because one was proclaimed Avatar did not mean they were, not until they'd learn to master and really truly understand the elements, and gain serenity and wisdom of the world.

The lionturtle had taught him the truth of the elements and of bending. It gave him the very wisdom he needed. By not killing Ozai, he became a true Avatar, wisdom that he had made for himself. He learned wisdom to become one who was wise.

And yet, he still felt wrong. By taking away Ozai's firebending, he had connected with the fallen lord on a level he hadn't with anyone else. He knew Ozai even more than he knew himself. The worse part, he knew Ozai was feeling the same. And he knew that fire within Ozai, the one Aang had taken away, was all that the man really had left. In a way, Ozai probably truthfully thought himself dead.

In fact, Aang knew for certain that Ozai would've preferred death than to live powerless and without that inner fire that had always kept him strong.

The Avatar was beginning to doubt his decision to take Ozai's bending away.


Azula was not healthy enough to be in prison. At least, not mentally. Zuko knew that. He had understood that fact as he had watched Azula break down after the Agni Kai, chained and sobbing as she was. None of them, except probably Aang, would understand Zuko's reluctance to harm his sister any further. Katara was too vengeful, Sokka too naïve, and Toph too distant from the matter. He may not have cared about his father's fate, but in that moment, when Zuko saw her roaring in madness and crying pathetically, some part of him instinctively knew the reasons for Azula's descent into madness. He didn't actually know it, but there was a part of him that did and so stopped him from being unmerciful to his sister.

It was why he sat across from his sister at a small table in the room of the asylum he had locked her up in.

"Azula," he reached out and touched her hand that was splayed on top of the table unmoving. She didn't respond, gazing blankly to the side.

Zuko could not reach out to her, but he was willing to keep trying.

When he departed there and traveled back to the palace, he thought about visiting Aang's room to ask for advice. However, it was late and he couldn't disturb the Avatar at this hour. Resigning himself, he reached his rooms and found Mai waiting for him.

"Zuko, are you alright?" and although her face did not show her concern, her eyes softened. They always had softened just for him.

"Mai…" he reached out his arms and pulled her close, kissing her tenderly. Her lips were soft and pliant underneath his, and he gladly took the comfort she offered. When they pulled apart, she led them to his bed and they both sat down on silk sheets that he had gotten from the Earth kingdom.

"You," his voice cracked and this time a look of care actually formed on her face, "You understand, don't you? Why I kept her alive?"

He didn't have to say exactly who she was. Mai already knew and had pulled him closer, holding him to her bosom as he silently cried.

"I do understand."

And Zuko clung harder, knowing Mai spoke the truth. She did understand, for though she had feared Azula, Mai had also been her friend once.

The next morning, Zuko began making preparations on trying to rebuild the Fire Nation's alliances. Deciding it best to have Aang with him, he made his way to the Avatar's room and knocked on the door. Aang opened it quickly, assuring Zuko that he hadn't just woken him up.

"Zuko, is there something wrong?" Aang asked him in surprise.

"No, I just need your help on something. As someone with ties to all nations, I was wondering if you could possibly be the Fire Nation's ambassador."

Aang looked unsure, "I don't know, Zuko. As the Avatar, I'm not supposed to show favoritism. If I do this, people might accuse me as being partial to you because you're my friend."

Zuko easily found a solution to that, "I know. But that's it. Seeing as everyone knows you're my friend, people won't be surprised to see you doing a friendly favor for me. It's common knowledge that the Fire Nation needs help rebuilding itself in a better image. You would be helping to do so as my friend and also because it is the Avatar's job to make sure all is right in the world. Plus, it's temporary, Aang. That'll prove to everyone you're just helping us out and not a permanent advantageous help to the Fire Nation."

Aang nodded to that, "Okay. I understand. When do you want me to start?"

"In a month. Until then, I was hoping you'd be my personal advisor. You know…l-like how Great Grandfather Roku did for Great Grandfather Sozin," Zuko asked Aang hesitantly. 'Before Sozin's change,' was also implied.

Aang laughed, "I'll definitely be accused of favoritism now! But what the hell! Of course I will."

Zuko smiled gratefully, but a small hint of shock was in his eyes, "I've never heard you curse, Aang. That's a first."

Aang faltered. He was twelve –well, actually thirteen –mentally, but he wasn't that innocent. He'd heard the others, back before he'd been frozen in that iceberg, curse but he'd never actually cursed himself.

Ozai

He forced a smile on his face. "Well, you know. Everyone is entitled to firsts."


Aang strode towards the cell with dread. He hadn't seen Ozai since defeating him and this would be the first time in a week. He didn't know what he was going to say, and definitely didn't know how Ozai was going to react.

No one knew he was here, not even Zuko. He didn't want to explain himself and he was terrified of telling anyone about what had happened when he had taken away Ozai's firebending and had spiritually connected with the man.

The truth was he had experienced everything. It started with feeling Ozai's feelings, hearing his thoughts. As they had grown more connected, Aang began seeing flashes of Ozai's life, the important events and seeing a woman in particular most often. Ozai's resentment towards his family and his bitter rivalry with Iroh became in that moment Aang's resentment towards a family he had unreasonably felt was his and a bitter rivalry with a man Aang honestly really liked. And he felt a conflicting love towards the woman.

Ursa, his mind whispered.

Ozai's thoughts were his. Ozai's emotions were his. Ozai's memories, everything Ozai had ever experienced was all in Aang's head. They lingered in the back, only coming forth at random or at things that were related to a particular memory or emotion.

But it was more than that. In that brief instance when they'd connected, their souls had brushed against each other. Everything had touched together, their spirits, their minds, all initiated by the touch of Aang's hands on Ozai.

And now part of Ozai would always be part of Aang, leaking out into his actions and words without Aang even realizing it until it was too late. It happened with Zuko, cursing like that. Aang knew the words, but he had never cursed in his life. He knew that that would've been the way teenager Ozai would have reacted to something a likewise younger Iroh had said, back when their rivalry was more childish and less intense than it was during their adult years.

It had happened with Katara as well.

She had been wearing something that was eerily similar to something Ursa had once worn and Aang…had said something that wasn't just like what Ozai had commented to Ursa, but echoed the former Fire Lord's words exactly.

"You're a reflection of a true fire lily, milady," and Aang could distinctly hear Ozai speaking the same words in his mind, to another lady so long ago. This time, Aang had spoken it to Katara, who gave the satisfying result of blushing prettily. Aang was happy that Katara was flattered, but he had not meant to say those words. It came out easily, triggered by the dress.

As Aang braced himself to enter the cell, he remembered that despite Ozai's being invading his mind and mannerisms, Aang was still himself.

Started 7/25/08 –Completed 7/27/08